The San Pedro Sun

Miriam Rodriguez, charged with Mischievous ActOn Tuesday, October 23rd eighteen year old Miriam Rodriguez, a student of the San Pedro High School and resident of the Boca Del Rio area in San Pedro Town was arrested and charged for the offence of Committing a Mischievous Act. Rodriguez reportedly went missing on Saturday October 20, 2012 while in Belize City and returned home on Monday, October 22nd.
Upon her return to the island Rodriguez reported to the San Pedro Police where she provided a statement to the Officer in charge of the Crimes Investigation Branch. In her statement, she claimed that she was on her way back from Belize City after purchasing her laptop when at the water taxi she went to a faucet by the bathroom facility to wash her feet. She stated that this was where two dark skinned male persons grabbed her, took her into a taxi, drove her to an abandoned house, injected her with a substance and took her laptop and cell phone. According to Rodriguez her abductors ordered her to call her mother and demand $10,000 for her release – or else. According to her mother, Rodriguez was forced to call her a second time where the threat was re-uttered. Rodriguez further claimed in her statement, that the following day she was taken in a van where she saw a sign that said Dangriga. In the van she claimed that there were three men of dark complexion with her.

Attempted Murder in San PedroAt approximately 11:30 pm on Tuesday October 30th , 24 year old Derrick Wellington Rivers of San Juan area in San Pedro town ran into the police station where he was seen with two apparent gunshot injuries – one to the forehead and the other to the right arm.
Initial investigations revealed that Rivers along with two other men from San Pedro were plotting to rob a business place, but when Rivers reportedly changed his mind he was shot by one of the two men whom he identified. He was taken to the San Pedro Poly Clinic and later transferred to the KHMH where he is listed in a stable condition. Police have detained the man alleged to have shot Rivers.

SP Seadogs win San Ignacio UnitedIn other football news; on Sunday October 28th, the San Pedro Seadogs went up against San Ignacio United at the Ambergris Stadium in a tiring game. The game saw Angel Cantun, #20 of the Seadogs scoring the only goal of the game in the 41st minute giving them a 1-0 game. This places the Seadogs at fifth place with seven points. The team has five games remaining and nine games played, with two wins, six losses and one draw.

Ambergris Today

Caramba Restaurant Showcases New Centerpiece BarThe famous Caramba Restaurant reopened with a bang for the 2012 season, ready for their repeat customers and excited to welcome new guests to their posh new bar which is now the centerpiece of the restaurant. This year the restaurant closed for routine renovations and when the big reveal came, everybody was left in awe at Caramba’s new look and glowing signage. The restaurant has introduced a classy glowing bar that has become the focal point of the eatery. Now you can enjoy a couple of drinks while you wait for your table, wait for take-out or simply enjoy the new atmosphere the bar creates.

School Children Provided with Free Dental Services by Smile CenterStudents of San Pedro RC School will have brighter, healthier smiles to boast as a group of volunteer dentists are back at the Smile Center at the Dr. Otto Rodriguez Poly Clinic II providing free checkups.
Dr. Louis Lam is a dentist with over 23 years of experience and has been coming to the island and rendering his service for over ten years. It is always a pleasure to see Dr. Lam and his team working along with Dr. Efrain Cima at the Poly Clinic. Dr. Lam and his team are in San Pedro for a week providing their free services to children between the ages of 8 and 10. So far the team has seen over 40 patients and will be seeing more until the end of the week performing clean-ups, fillings, root canals and much more.

Outraged Island Residents Address High Crime to PoliceSan Pedro, Ambergris Caye is no longer the quaint fishing village that we used to be; it is sad to say this but it’s the truth. For being the number one tourist destination in the country it is very sad to see crime on the rise and island residents are fed up with this situation. On Tuesday, October 31, 2012, a community meeting with the police took place and it was quite obvious that residents have lost their trust in the police. Master of Ceremonies and Moderator for the evening, Mr. Angel Nuñez commenced the meeting at 6:30 p.m. and invited Assistant Superintendent Vienie Robinson to the podium where she delivered her welcome address after which she gave a short presentation on community policing. In her presentation she mentioned that the island currently counts with 34 police officers and also gave a short report on the total number of crimes which have occurred in the past three months.

San Pedro High Holds Fun Halloween CompetitionHallooween is celebrated grand on La Isla Bonita. The San Pedro High School student body got very creative in stading out with their best costume at their yearly Halloween Competition. There were many themed groups, creative, scary, original and funny costumes that amazed the crowd and wowed the judges. Below are the winners of the Halloween Competition 2012. Enjoy!

Misc Belizean Sources

Register for the 2012 Asset Protection Symposium Presented by Caye BankCaye Bank's 2012 Global Asset Protection Symposium, held on November 7 – 11, 2012 at the Exotic Caye Beach Resort on Ambergris Caye Island in Belize gives attendees the opportunity to sit down one-on-one with international financial experts and learn about IRS compliant, tax-free investment opportunities, strategic insights, and customized financial solutions tailored specifically to the areas of asset protection and international investments.
Attendees will get real-world advice from legal, tax, financial, and trust experts in an actionable format that can be applied immediately to financial portfolios in the remaining months of 2012.
Limited to just 40 participants, this exclusive event offers abundant opportunities for:
Diversifying a financial portfolio across economies, currencies and asset classes
Gaining tax-free compounding growth with no income or estate tax at distribution
Staying compliant with home-country tax rules and regulations using offshore trusts and international business corporations (IBC's) to safeguard assets and privacy
Creating incredible investment opportunities overseas by capitalizing on demographics and geo-political realities

Big Shane becomes Captain and Tour Guide!Once again we are immensely proud to watch our very own, home grown, Shane Anderson put on his Raggamuffin shirt to Captain and officially Tour Guide out on our Hol Chan Marine Reserve tour today.
Shane has been with Raggamuffin from as far as I can remember, picking up all the dirty work, learning the operation of the boats until he was allowed to become a deck hand. For the past three years he has spent many of his weeks up and down the coast of Belize’s inner reef on our Placencia tour. It is during this time he has learnt to Captain from our smallest boat Ragga Gal to even our largest Ragga Queen.
At the beginning of this year he grew tired of no ‘Tour Guide Training Courses’ being held on Caye Caulker and in frustration he commenced the course by himself, studying the books Chapters and taking his exams with the Belize Tourism Board by taking himself to San Pedro time for each and every exam. Shane passed all of his exams first time, a accolade that can be proud of as most do not achieve this (other than our very own Kevin and Jacob three years ago!!) – which is a measure of this man’s dedication to his path!!

ATLIB Volleyball Regionals | FacebookSaturday, the UB Black Jaguars and Sacred Heart Wolves traveled from Cayo to Independence for the ATLIB Volleyball Regionals. The Jaguars took first place in both male and female divisions. Congratulations to all teams for doing their best. The finals will be on November 10th at Falcon Field.
"UB Black Jaguars will defend their 2011-2012 Championship on November 10, 2012 at the ATLIB National Volleyball Tournament which will be hosted by SHJC. Congratulations to UB Black Jaguars for keeping UB proud!"

Channel 7

Nine Year Old "Standee" Falls From Moving BusTonight a 9 year old is at the KHMH with serious injuries after falling from a moving bus this afternoon.
This Afternoon at About 4:15, the standard four Holy Redeemer student was jammed into the back an overcrowded bus - when the back door flung open - and he tumbled out unto the Northern highway at mile 7.
It's a terrible accident and the kind you always fear might happen when you look at those jam packed busses.
Our news team came on the scene at mile 7 on the northern highway minutes after the accident occurred.
Here's the story:
Jules Vasquez Reporting
Nine year old Holy Redeemer Primary School student Martin Noble lay sprawled out on the road with a passerby trying to keep the child conscious.
His older brother Mauricio kneeled beside him trying to help as well:
Dennis Gabourel - Arrived On The Scene
"He was on the ground, I asked the child what's his name. He responded with his name, which allowed me to realize that he was still conscious, because I do CPR too. And, you know, it tears me apart."
As Gabourel said, Martin - who wa sheadign to his home in Lord's Bank - was flung out of the back of an overcrowded bus and hurled unto the highway - into the path of oncoming traffic.
Voice of: Eyewitness
"The bus was actually over-filled with children. A lot of children were behind the bus, and before reaching mile 7, we noticed that the door just popped open, and one of the kids actually flew out of the back of the bus."

Working Man Murdered On JobsiteAnd while that accident is tonight's headline - the biggest news of the day is another murder in the city.
This one is especially tragic because the victim was a working man on his jobsite.
43 year old David Myvette, a construction supervisor was working on one of the concrete streets in Lake Independence, Electric Avenue.
But that is also a gang affiliated area - and he was targeted for a vicious killing.
We'll have the full story for you a little later on in the news...

Man Shoots Up In Lake-I, Caught by PoliceAnd, last night at 6:30, in the same area where today's murder occurred - residents heard the sound of a massive shower of gunfire.
That led to rumours and even news reports that there had been another murder in the area.
Tonight, 7News confirms that there were no fatalities in that shooting, but it did lead to a high-speed police chase.
Today, the Police Press Officer, Raphael Martinez, explained more about how police detained 2 men, one of whom was in possession of a firearm when he was caught.
Raphael Martinez - Police Press Officer
"On Tuesday, October 30, at approximately 8:30p.m., Police responded to shots being fired on La Croix Boulevard, Belize City. Police quickly visited the location and upon arriving at the corner of Mahogany and Linda Vista Street, a dark blue Toyota Camry without a license plate was observed speeding on Linda Vista Street in the direction of the George Price Highway. A pursuit was initiated by CIB mobile and Zone 9 mobile patrol. During the pursuit, the dark blue Toyota Camry lost control and ran into a board fence on Linda Vista Street. Three male persons then quickly exited the said car and ran in separate directions. Subsequently two of them 25 year old Belize City man and a 16 year old minor, of Burrell Boon Village were apprehended. Found on the minor was a black 9mm Austria 9x19 Pistol, which contained an empty magazine. Both were detained and escorted to the Queen Street Police Station. Police recovered one black 9mm Austria 9x19 Pistol containing an empty magazine, one damaged dark blue Toyota Camry without L/P, a set of keys, a black cell phone, a black knapsack, a pair of black slippers and several pieces of clothing."
According to the press officer, up until midday today, both men were still only detained, and no formal charges had been laid against them.

Man Backs Out of Crime Conspiracy; Shot By AccomplicesAnd 3 hours after that incident in Belize City, officers on duty at the San Pedro Police Station were surprised when a man ran into the station suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
The police press officer explained more today about how the man told them that one of his would-be partners in crime shot him because he had a crisis of conscience:
Raphael Martinez - Police Press Officer
"At approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday October 30, 24 year old Derrick Wellington Rivers of the San Juan area in San Pedro ran into the police station where he was seen with two apparent gunshot injuries - one to the forehead and the other to the right arm. Initial investigations revealed that Rivers along with two other men from San Pedro were plotting to rob a business place, but when Rivers reportedly changed his mind, and that caused one of his would be partners to shoot him, allegedly. He was taken to the San Pedro Poly Clinic and later transferred to the KHMH where he is listed in a stable condition. Police have detained the man alleged to have shot Rivers."
That suspect has not been charged, and the victim has been discharged from the KHMH.

Father Of Boy Who Tumbled From Bus SpeaksAt the top of the newscast, we told you about a nine year old standard foru student who tumbled out of a moving bus.
It happened on the northern highway between miles 7 and 8. None year old Martin Noble was at the back of a crowded bus - when the back door flung open and he crashed to the pavement into the path of oncoming traffic.
Half an hour ago, Monica Bodden spoke to his father Fortunato Noble at the KHMH - and he told us what the child's prognosis is:
Monica Bodden
"Mr. Noble, How is your son doing at this time?"
Fortunato Noble - Father of Martin
"At the moment, he has come out from the CT Scan, and he is okay internally, no injury to the brain, and no internal bleeding. However, his face is all busted up, his lips are bleeding from several spots inside. He has several external concussions on his forehead. His face has a lot of cuts. He just looks terrible; he isn't recognizable to me. It's just sad; I was in there when they were stitching him up, and I couldn't take it. He is just in a lot of pain. My only concern with this incident is that I am making an appeal to these bus operators. We have been trying to deal with this for a while. Put extra buses for people to travel. Don't be cramming people in the bus. This happened because he was a standee in the bus, and somehow the backdoor of this bus flew open. I don't know how something like that can happen. This is a criminal act. And the child flew out of the bus; according to people who were there, they are saying that the bus door flew open, and the draft pulled him out. I don't know how that can happen, but that's what happened - they claim - I was not there. I didn't see what happened, but I'm putting this bus operator on notice. I want something to be done about it. This, to me, is a criminal act that he did; he is endangering people's lives. And this is not because he is my son; it could have been anybody's child. It could have been an adult. It's just not right having people standing up on the bus. There is an advertisement on the air calling on the bus operators to provide transportation for people so that they don't have standees, and they are completely ignoring this thing. These are some of the consequences; I don't know. Like I am saying, I am putting him on notice, and I am suing him. My son is in terrible pain that he does not have to be suffering because they wanted to make more money than is possible. They could easily put another bus there. They have the runs. People need to move; put another bus. Don't cram people like that. Thank God that this was not a fatal incident, but it could have very well been. I understand that the person who came immediately behind almost ran him over. He fell on the highway, and another vehicle was coming. Had he not been paying attention, he would have ran over my son. Putting another person - he is not just - these operators need to stop. And my plea to them is please, obey the law."

Knocked Down Man, Finally To Court21 year-old Jason Rodney Castillo, the man who was suspected of knocking down 25 year-old Shane Dougal almost 8 weeks ago, is at prison tonight after he was arraigned on charges relating to Dougal's death.
As we reported, Dougal, who is a security guard with Harpy Security, was riding his bike to work in the Ladyville area. At around 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, September 8, he was at mile 5 on the Phillip Goldson Highway, when he was knocked down and killed.
Castillo was initially detained but no formal charges were brought against him, and he was eventually released.
Well, police detained him once more, and he was charged with manslaughter by negligence, causing death by careless conduct, driving motor vehicle without due care and attention and failure to provide specimen for testing.
Police said that on the date in question he was driving his grey Nissan Altima car on the highway, and he knocked down Dougal. The responding officers believe that he may have been under the influence of alcohol, and requested that he provide a urine or blood specimen, but he refused without giving a reasonable excuse.

Do You Have A Small Business, Or an Idea For One?For months - we've been telling you all about Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises - or MSME's as they are called.
Throughout the developing world - efforts are being made to grow these enterprises because they are seen as the building blocks of economic growth.
Today, a great leap forward was made the opening of the Small Business Development Center.
The center is located at the University of Belize Faculty of Business in West Landivar.
It's open - but the formal opening could not be held there - because like the businesses it hopes to serve - the center is….shall we say, micro.
But it's got a mighty bog job to do and the Deputy Executive Director of Beltraide who is spearheading the effort told us if you think your business qualifies, you should come in:
Lejia Melonie Gideon - Deputy Executive Director, BELTRAIDE
"How do you get this assistance? You walk into the center, simple as that. You walk in and you bring your need, and we'll work with you from there. If you have an idea, visit us at the West Landivar campus."
Jules Vasquez
"Any sort of idea?"
Lejia Melonie Gideon
"You bring your idea, and we'll sit you down and tell you, 1, it's not a good idea, well tell you right now, 2, if you think of it this way, probably, it will work out better this way. So, we're going to give you honest advice, not just string you along because our resources are tight as well."

Finally, Municipal Bond Will LaunchAnd while that is micro-business, the municipal bond is big business. It's an 18 million dollar bond offering -t eh first of its kind in the region.
Long promised, for months, we've been commenting on its failure to launch - as the prospectus was first promised in July, then August, then September, and now October is finished.
That's why we were surprised today when the mayor told us that it will be launched in two weeks.
Here's his interview:
Jules Vasquez
"Is it real? Is the prospectus finally upon us?"
Darrell Bradley - Mayor, Belize City Council
"This is our final draft in terms of the prospectus. What we've done is we've circulated it to some of our stakeholders so that there will be just a final review. And of course, we're going to send it out to get published with a nice design and other things like that. For a prospectus, it's a reasonably sized document. Everything has come together, and we've declared November 15, as our launch date for the municipal bond prospectus. And we expect that a significant amount of the bond will be sold on November 15, or very shortly thereafter, and very shortly after that, we will get in flows."

Working Man KilledTonight's headline was about the 9 year old who fell out of a moving bus. But the biggest news of the day was about a man who was killed on his jobsite.
Monica Bodden has the story on the tragic murder of this construction supervisor:
Monica Bodden Reporting
The body of David Myvette lies dead tonight at the city morgue after he was gunned down on his jobsite just before 10 this morning.
It happened on Electric Avenue where Myvette was the foreman for a project to cement the street.
2 gunmen rode up on bicycle while he was working - 0ne of them pulled out a firearm and began shooting.
According to reports, he was shot 12 times to multiple parts of his body. He was rushed to the KHMH where he died 15 minutes later.
Raphael Martinez - Police Press Officer
"At approximately 10 o'clock this morning, a Belize City man was shot in the Electric Avenue. Reportedly, he was working on the street, doing a reconstruction project, and allegedly, 2 men rode up on a bicycle, one of whom pulled out a firearm and shot him several times. He was taken to Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his at approximately 10:15 a.m. So far, nobody has been detained, but police are following a lead on this latest murder."

Placencia's Novel Crime Solutioncrime is one of the areas of social breakdown that every community is battling against. But the residents of the Placencia Peninsula are taking an active role in its prevention.
The representatives of most the major organizations in Placencia hired experts to conduct surveys on what the residents wanted to see improved in their community.
The residents indicated that they wanted a better police presence in the area, and as a result the business community and stakeholders secured funding for an initiative to erect a mobile checkpoint on the Placencia Road, as the only entry/exit point into the area.
The proposal was taken to the Ministry of National Security, and they embraced it as a model of the community trying to bridge the divide between the police department and the community.
Today, representatives from the Placencia Steering Committee met with the Minister of National Security, to sign a formal Memorandum of Understanding to implement the police mobile checkpoint.
We spoke to the Chair of the committee who told us about the significance of the MOU.
Here's what he had to say:
Stewart Krohn - Chair, Peninsula 20/20 Steering Committee
"We looked for ways of how we could nip crime in the bud on the peninsula, and we realized that because there is only one road to and from the peninsula, that would be a good chokepoint to see who's coming, whose going, and use it as kind of an intelligence gathering exercise. At the same time, we have a lot more tourist who are renting and driving cars, to just kind of give them the reassurance that are people looking out for their safety. So, we formulated a plan to make it a mobile checkpoint. We canvassed our private sector and business community to see if the financial support was there, and it was. And we put this proposal to the Ministry of National Security, and worked back and forth on the details because police matters, it's very important that the Government monopolizes control. As much as we, civilians, would want to call the shots, it's a joint effort. And we worked out this memorandum of understanding as to how this checkpoint would be manned. That was just one of a number of recommendations that we made, including the upgrading of the police post. And I have to say that the Government has been good to its word, and what we agreed to, they've followed through to. Now, it's etched on black and white, on paper. Now, we will go to the implementation stage."

The Other Way Of Getting Through The BushLast year, the British Army Training Support Unit BATSUB, downsized their operation in Belize in November, but on June 3, 2011, they donated a fleet of 6 all-terrain vehicles to the BDF.
It was in an effort to try to assist in the absence the vital helicopter support that BATSUB provided to reach those remote observation outposts on Belize's borders, but those ATV's couldn't hold up in the rugged terrain.
Well, the BDF communicated their issues to the new Minister of National Security John Saldivar took over and today, he made a donation of 3 vehicles and John Deer tractor to help with their needs.
According to the Commandant of the BDF a tractor helps to mobilize troops better.
The Minister of National Security spoke to the media on how the decision was made:
Hon. John Saldivar - Minister of National Security
"It came about as the result of some of the need that were expressed to me very early on when I took over the Ministry of National Security. The BDF is in need of several vehicles so that they can get around the country better, so that they can patrol our borders better, and this is only the beginning. Within another 2 months, we should be getting hopefully another 7 vehicles for them, and after that, I believe we'll be properly able to mobilize around the country."

The Pantempers Killed It In TaiwanLast night we told you about the Pantempers Steel Band's triumphant tour of Taiwan. They were part of a cultural tour of the Island nation performing alongside contingents from Guatemala, St. Kitts and Nevis and St. Lucia.
And by all accounts, the Pantempers killed it!
The 25 person contingent swayed, smiled and serenaded their way into the hearts of the Taiwanese audience.
And how do we know this?
Well, you may remember our summer intern, Robin Schaffer. She's in Taiwan now pursuing a degree in journalism.
She teamed up with the Pantempers' camera man Codie Norales at the last show of a two week tour.
Here is what they saw in the city of Taoyuen:
Robin Schaffer Reporting
Today, the Pan Tempers Steel Band completed a two week tour of Taiwan in the city of Taoyuan where they played to an impressive crowd at the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Taoyuan Country. The reception here was warm - just as it was in the other three cities in which they played

What Red Ribbons Mean To YouthsYesterday, 7News told you that Wesley College was celebrating its Red Ribbon Week, which has become a part of its tradition in the fight against teenage drug use.
Today, they held a parade which ended off at the school's compound, and immediately after that, the entire school participated in a rally, in which the students displayed skits and dramas around the theme of the fact of drugs in their everyday lives.
7News stopped by and had a chance to speak with a few of the students. Here's what they told about their perception of the availability and use of drugs in their communities:
Shanique Wade - Wesley College Student
"In our community, a lot of people do drugs, but I myself don't do drugs because I found out that drugs aren't something good to do."
Tanisha Flowers - Wesley College Student
"This drug free rally is portraying that you aren't supposed to use drugs and that drugs can cause you to die from liver cancer, and other different parts of the body getting damage."
Daniel Ortiz
"And what has this drug rally been like for you?"
Tanisha Flowers
"It has been a good thing my step-father uses drugs, and I have tried to tell him stop the smoking, that's his choice."

Channel 5

Banana Growers support CGA and call for removal of Ministry C.E.O.Unrest within the citrus belt continued for a second day as disgruntled farmers and their employees once again gathered in Pomona, along with the executive, as well as other members of the Citrus Growers Association, to protest a number of concerns going into this year’s crop season. The most pertinent of those concerns include an [...]

B.D.F. nonlethal weapons choice for City streets and borderNews circulated about a week ago that the Belize Defence Force soldiers patrolling the border would be armed with taser guns and batons. But before public uproar erupted, Minister John Saldivar clarified that the soldiers would also continue to carry their usual firearms. Today, B.D.F. Commandant, Brigadier General Dario Tapia, explained that the objective is [...]

Ten bullets; man gunned down in Murder Capital, Belize CityOne man narrowly escaped being murdered on Tuesday night and he clings to life while another shooting victim was gunned down with close to a dozen bullets this morning, just prior to a speech being delivered by the Minister of National Security John Saldivar, in Belize City. The Ministry sent a release stating that no [...]

Accomplices shoot fellow thief for declining to commit robberyThere is no honor amongst thieves and that old adage was proven true once again on Ambergris Caye. Three men conspired to participate in an armed robbery and assault, but one of the men got cold feet. But instead of simply parting ways peacefully, the other two tried to kill Derrick Rivers of San Pedro [...]

Primary school student falls from crowded busTonight, a student of the Holy Redeemer Primary school is at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital receiving treatment for injuries he received in a traffic accident involving a bus belonging to Haylock Bus Service. The bus was transporting students and other passengers from the City when it is said that the minor, identified as nine [...]

Shooting in air and high speed chase in the CityThere was a disturbance on Tuesday night in Belize City near Mahogany Street. Shots were fired and the cops were in a fast pursuit of men driving a Toyota Camry. It quickly became a foot chase as the men abandoned the vehicle. According to the police P.R., the officers were able to capture the suspects [...]

For his manslaughter court date, he brought a bag full of clothesThe celebrations on carnival day were marred by tragedy for a George Street family when twenty-five year old security guard, Shane Dougal, was knocked down and killed on his way to work in Ladyville. At the time of the accident on September eighth, the driver of the vehicle was identified as twenty-year old Jason Rodney [...]

Ladyville resident busted for hiring undocumented migrant workersAlso in the courts, a group of women were hauled before a magistrate because they were illegally working in the country. But instead of the employees, it’s the employer who got charged. Twenty-two year old Sandra Carballo, the owner of Blue House Bar in Ladyville was arrested after six women of various nationalities were found [...]

B.D.F. 2-day hike to border to change with new vehiclesThe Belize Defence Force received a donation from the Ministry of National Security today and it will be most appreciated by the soldiers who have to patrol the remote areas along the border. Many persons may not be aware, but the soldiers who patrol the Machaquilla area, must endure a two day hike to reach [...]

U.S Capital says it’s G.O.B. who made the rules to EIA Consultation engagementThe environmental community has come out in full support of the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Alcaldes Association because of what they believe is a botched consultation in Sundaywood village. The meeting last week Thursday should have been to educate the public and respond to their concerns regarding U.S. Capital Energy’s desire to drill [...]

APAMO appalled by U.S. Capital EIA and says it’s incompleteMost of the discussion surrounding the U.S. Capital Environmental Impact Assessment focused on the incident during which Martin Alegria and Ligorio Coy removed Greg Choc of the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management from the microphone. While that was a rather unfortunate display, the content of the E.I.A. is finally taking the spotlight. The Association [...]

B.N.T.U. advises members to read amended Education ActWhile the US Capital Energy issue continues to fester, another controversy is blazing on the education front. The Belize National Teachers’ Union (B.N.T.U.) issued an advisory to its membership and all persons employed in the field of Education, stating that Statutory Instrument (S.I.) number eighty-seven, education amendment rules, of 2012 has been signed into law [...]

Police and B.T.I.A. sign M.O.U. for 24-hour checkpoint on Placencia RoadThe Ministry of National Security and the Steering Committee of the Peninsula 2020 Initiative which includes the Placencia and Seine Bight Village Councils, the Placencia B.T.I.A., and a host of related organizations, signed a memorandum of understanding earlier today. The M.O.U. was designed to curb crime in the Peninsula. It’s a proactive initiative since a [...]

How do you manage mounting piles of solid waste?An improved solid waste management system has been in the pipeline for over a decade and it is finally coming to fruition. That’s has been the focus of the Solid Waste Management Authority since last December and since then work has been ongoing to improve waste disposal in San Pedro and Caye Caulker, San Ignacio/Santa [...]

Belize’s 1st Small Business Development Center was launchBelize’s first Small Business Development Center was launched today at the Radisson. The initiative is a partnership between a number of agencies, including BELTRAIDE, the Development Finance Corporation, ITVET, the Belize City Council, the Organization of American States, as well as the University of Texas at San Antonio. BELTRAIDE recently conducted multiple training exercises with [...]

Ascenthium seeks rock superstardom in SuperstarBe The Next Superstar is Channel Five’s runaway hit family program. The winner of the show will take home ten thousand dollars and bragging rights. On Tuesday we met up with the Jeremys, Jeremy Cuthkelvin and Jeremy Vasquez in Belmopan. Tonight News Five got the back story on the band called Ascenthium. Duane Moody, [...]

LOVE FM

CGA Calls Off Day Two of Demonstration
A planned second day of demonstration by the Citrus Growers Association has been called off. Hundreds of growers marched on the Citrus Products of Belize in Pomona Valley on Tuesday to highlight their discontent with the way the company is being managed and allegations of a move ...

Belmopan City Council Plans Public Consultation
Residents of Belmopan are being asked to come out to an important meeting tonight. Correspondent Fem Cruz reports. FEM CRUZ Belmopan Correspondent Love FM “The Belmopan City Council will be having a very important public consultation this evening at the Belm...

Man Shot By Partner In Crime After He Refuses to Rob Business
A shooting incident in San Pedro town has left a would-be robber injured. The victim has been identified as twenty four year old Derrick Wellington Rivers, a resident of the San Juan area of San Pedro town. According to police reports, Rivers ran into the police station aro...

Police Detains Two Persons for Last Night's Shooting
Two people, including a sixteen year old boy are in police detention following a shooting incident last night. According to police reports, they responded to shots being fired on La Croix Boulevard around eight thirty last night. Police say that as they drove up on the area at th...

Easy Finance Business Robbed
The R.S.V media center has received reports of a robbery that occurred shortly before 11:00 this morning at Easy Finance on Dolphin Street in Belize City. Love News understands that three armed men entered the store and held up the employees. It is not clear what actually t...

Villager Killed On His Work Site
A man was shot dead this morning in Belize City. The victim has been identified as Sand Hill village resident David Myvett, also known as “Hog.” Preliminary reports are that Myvett, who is a supervisor for the work crew that is cementing Electric Avenue in B...

LOVE TV

PUP holds press conference; discusses national issues
The People’s United Party’s leader has said that eight months after the current government got into office, Belize is in crisis. The party leader was speaking at a press conference that his party called to sound their alarm and to share what they find to be unacceptable. Fonseca started out, followed by the PUP’s Orange Walk East representative, Dr Marco Tulio Mendez, on health matters, and then by the party’s Chairman, Henry Usher on crime.
Following the presentations, Fonseca answered questions posed on specific issues. On the land dispute between Belize and Guatemala, some Belizeans have taken objection to the proposal to take the matter to the International Court of Justice. We asked Fonseca what his party’s position on this was.
The super-bond, which has been on the table for re-negotiations and restructuring, and which is one of the biggest national dilemmas is also a concern to the PUP, says Fonseca.
Fonseca also said that his party is willing to forge along with the government, to take a bi-partisan approach on crime in Belize. Fonseca, who replaced Johnny Briceno as party leader, recently completed his first year in that capacity.
Fonseca also said that his party is willing to forge along with the government, to take a bi-partisan approach on crime in Belize. Fonseca, who replaced Johnny Briceno as party leader, recently completed his first year in that capacity.

Man jailed for illegal gun possession
Eighteen year old Clifford Lorenzo, one of two persons charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license, pleaded guilty to both charges when he appeared in court today. He was sentenced to five years for each count by the Chief Magistrate, Ann Marie Smith, who stipulated that they are to run concurrently, which means that he will only serve five years. The charges against 25 year Victor Pratt, the other defendant, were withdrawn. The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. yesterday. The police reported that they were doing vehicle inspection at the junction of the Northern Highway and Visa Del Mar when they stopped a green Mitsubishi car and ordered the occupants to get out. They said they searched both Lorenzo and Pratt but they did not find anything incriminating. But when they searched the car they found a black Smith and Wesson 9 millimetre pistol with rounds of ammunition in its magazine on the front passenger seat. As a result, Lorenzo and Pratt were taken into custody and charged.

Pan Tempters are cultural ambassadors in Taiwan
Twenty-five musicians of the Pantempters Steel Orchestra returned to Belize today after spending two weeks in Taiwan. The group was invited by the Government of Taiwan to perform at the Latin American and Caribbean Cultural Exhibition. Upon their return, the group was welcomed by Taiwanese Ambassador to Belize, David Wu, during a luncheon in their honour at the Chatteau Caribbean. Love News spoke with Taiwanese Ambassador, David Wu and band leader of the Pantempters, Therese Martinez about how the tour came about and what was shared.
Governor General, Sir Colville Young, who played a key role in developing steel pan music in Belize, gave a history of how the Pantempters Steel Band was formed.

Wesley College observes Red Ribbon week
Each year for the past fourteen years Wesley College has been celebrating Red Ribbon Week, which is used to highlight the effects drugs can have on people. This year is no different and each day this week the seven hundred plus students at the high school are engaged in an activity of some kind to underscore what drugs do to the mind and body, and the problems it can create with the law. School Councilor at Wesley College, Elizabeth Gough, told Love News that despite the availability of drugs and peer pressure, the student body, for the most part, take the message seriously.
This year’s guest speaker, Darrel Bradley, opened the week on Monday.

Crystal water truck overturns in Toledo
A traffic accident on the Southern Highway left an eighteen wheeler freight truck on its side with all its full load of Crystal water inside the cargo section. Correspondent Paul Mahung has more on the incident.

Youths take part in chess tournament in San Ignacio
Children in three Districts indulged themselves in a game of Chess on Saturday. One of the events, namely the Cayo Halloween Chess Tournament took place at Hodes Place in San Ignacio. Love News spoke with Cayo District Coordinator for the Belize National Youth Chess Foundation David Coombs, who gave us all the details on the event.
Coombs thanks coaches, parents and teachers who assisted with the competition, because he says that without them it wouldn’t be possible. He said that the children are doing a lot more than just playing the game since they behaved respectfully and were full of positivity.

Bus operator struggles to survive
Last week Love News reported on several problems faced by commuters who are traveling on the Belize City to Ladyville Route and back. Many commuters expressed their frustration and the difficulty faced on a daily basis for not being able to travel punctually and comfortably among many other factors. Love News had spoken with General Manager and Owner of Universal Transportation Services, Jennine Hamilton who informed us that she had done some research and thought up a solution for the ongoing inconvenience faced by commuters. As a result she proposed a route which she sent to the transport board. Hamilton has received an answer and came to share with Love News that although the board agreed to reinstate her after having removed her license without motive in 2010, she is not satisfied with what she has been offered for many reasons.
Hamilton said that her proposal makes sure that there is no conflict on the routes with other buses, since her buses would take a complete different route than the others are travelling on at this point.
In being fair Hamilton says that she doesn’t wish for any other companies’ routes to be removed because she has gone through enough to know how devastating it can be. She sends the following message to the Ministry of Transport.
The proposal according to Hamilton would surely alleviate the problem of standees which is one of the major issues that the Transport Department has to deal with.

Citrus growers demonstrate in Pomona valley
The Citrus Growers Association today held a peaceful demonstration in Pomona Village. Hundreds of growers took part in the event, which included a kick off rally with speeches by various persons representing supporting groups and organizations. The organizers of the demonstration are hoping to throw the national spotlight squarely on injustices which they say are seriously jeopardizing the survival of this crucial contributor to the country’s economy. Love news was at today’s demonstration and here is how it went.
The citrus growers are also calling for the removal of the CEO in the Ministry of Agriculture Jose Alpuche, accusing him of not giving proper advise to the Minister.

Dining artfully at Casa PicassoCasa Picasso has long been a favorite place for many, when Jackie and Adam took it over a year ago and brought it back to life, they did the name justice and gave new meaning to the words dine artfully. They invited everyone out to celebrate their 1 year anniversary last night and pleased the crowd with drink specials and delicious food.
Thanks for a wonderful night.
Don’t forget to join Casa Picasso facebook page so you can stay informed on what they are up to. You can also check out San Pedro Scoop pictures from last night.

Try this Place: Casa Picasso's First Anniversary PartyLast night a good chunk of the town arrived at Casa Picasso to celebrate the re-opening for "the season", Casa Picasso's one year anniversary party and to taste the new food from their brand new chef. Some were a bit late...there was a town-wide meeting at the High School at the same time!...but everyone...EVERYONE was glad they came. The food was awesome. The crowd had an amazing time. And Jackie and Adam, the owners, remain some of my favorite people in town. Here they are:
Though I am generally a $6bzd Chinese fried chicken sandwich kind of gal, I am saying SPLURGE. The food I tasted last night means that there are great things to come this year.
Again, most of my pictures come from my new unpaid intern Krista from Crazy Canucks. She even arrived early to take great pictures of the staff like this one. Dedication! I love it.

VIDEO: Skydive in to the Blue Hole, BelizeThe ultimate skydive in my 21 years of jumping! Exit from 13,500 feet in PERFECT weather conditions (ie endless blue skies, puffy clouds and NO wind) with my beautiful husband and Arizona friend Ginger. I deployed at 8,000 feet so I could soak in all the exotic beauty and sublime heavenly experience. A once in a lifetime never-to-forget skydive!!! BTW, my canopy is red, black and gray, and I am the last person to land in this video. WOOHOO!
The Great Blue Hole is a stunning circular jewel surrounded by a ring of shallow luminous coral reef in the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Measuring 1,000 feet across and more than 400 feet deep, this ocean-floor limestone sinkhole is believed to be the world's largest blue hole, made famous by Jacques Cousteau. Atolls are characterized by a large, fairly shallow lagoon surrounded by coral reefs. Only four known true atolls exist in the Western Hemisphere, and of these, three reside in Belize: Turneffe, Lighthouse and Glovers.

International Sources

First Ladies highlight importance of energy and water in relation to womenHRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, in Her opening speech at the First Ladies Summit, highlighted the importance of building a sustainable future that promotes growth and preserves the environment. The Summit, which is held under HRH Princess Haya's patronage, took place on the sidelines of the World Energy Forum 2012.
Attending the Summit were a number of First Ladies from countries around the world, including Kenya, Sri Lanka, Belize, and the Republic of Maldives, to name a few. Also in attendance were HE Reem Al Hashimi, UAE Minister of State and Managing Director of Dubai Expo 2020 Executive Bid Committee, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, HE Hessa Abdullah Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and Dr. Harold Hyun-Suk Oh, President and Chairman of the World Energy Forum.
"The United Nations has designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All," emphasized HRH Princess Haya. "The challenge for world leaders today is how to promote economic growth and preserve our environment at the same time. The outcome of this challenge will have tremendous impact on families, women and children all over the globe."

Go Green: 8 Eco-Friendly Stays In BelizeBelize is best known for its lush rain forests, Mayan ruins and gorgeous barrier reef -- one of the world's best sites for snorkeling and scuba diving.
As so much of the country's tourism is dependent on its breathtaking natural surroundings, a determined commitment to eco-friendly practices can be found in most hoteliers throughout the country, and Oyster has stayed in everything from compact eco-lodges to rustic-luxe hideaways during our visits to this small South American country.
Check out photos of our favorite eco-friendly stays -- and find out what exactly makes them green -- in this slideshow.